For many years, the reimbursement of travel expenses for trips between our original place of residence and the remote communities where we work (called “outings” in our collective agreements) have been partially taxed at the federal and provincial level. In 2015, we submitted a request for compensation at the bargaining table. The end result was the Conseil du trésor passing on the issue to a joint working committee. In 2020, following the committee’s work, we resubmitted our request for compensation. At the present time, we have been met with a flat refusal. How long must we, ordinary public sector workers, wait to get what elected officials promptly gave themselves? Yet again, we are left with the painful impression that we are viewed as second-class citizens.

In 2019, expense allowances for Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) and elected municipal officials became taxable at the federal level. Our elected officials promptly awarded themselves a $5,000 to $8,000 pay increase so as to compensate for this new tax loss. We, workers in the education, health and social services sectors, are still denied a similar corrective measure.

WHEREAS Members of the National Assembly and elected municipal officials adjusted their expense allowance at once so as to offset the impact of its becoming taxable at the federal level in 2019;

WHEREAS travel (outings) between our original location and the communities where we work and provide services to the public (education or health and social services) represents expenditures that are necessary to work organization;

WHEREAS Revenu Québec has ruled out any possibility of making third and fourth outings tax-free under the pretext of harmonization with the federal level, harmonization which does not apply to elected officials given that, contrary to the federal level, expense allowances are tax-free in Québec;

WHEREAS it is the responsibility of the government to ensure accessible quality services across all regions and communities in Québec, and that it is also its responsibility to ensure the travel of the workforce required to render said services;

WHEREAS workers in the education and health and social services sectors do not receive any sum to offset taxation at the federal level and at the provincial level for third and fourth outings, contrary to Members of the National Assembly and elected municipal officials who gets a compensation for taxation;

WHEREAS the inherent unfairness of this differential treatment between elected officials and government employees;

WHEREAS the significant difficulties of recruiting personnel and ensuring they continue to work in remote communities for several years;

WHEREAS losses due to taxation can exceed $2,000 per person per year (for instance, a single round-trip to Akulivik costs over $1,500);

We, the undersigned, call on the Government of Québec to respond favourably to the request of unions who, during the last two bargaining rounds, have been calling for full compensation for the fiscal loss related to third and fourth outings. This is simply to ensure workers get a treatment equivalent to that of elected officials who benefit from a number of travelling allowances which are either tax-free or whose taxation is offset.